HBO?S Jim Lampley had an idea. Well known actor turned director, Peter Berg had the know- how. Legendary coach, Freddie Roach is the subject. A year in the making, six part series ?On Freddie Roach? is scheduled to debut on January 20th, 2012 on HBO. For a complete schedule check your TV listings. It?s about Roach?s day to day life and work and his ability to deal with debilitating Parkinson disease.
?I think I am kind of a boring person, to be honest with you. Jim and Pete felt otherwise. They asked me if I could be open like I am during 24/7, if I can be myself with cameras being around. I thought about it. I?ve always wanted to be a little bit famous,? said Roach when I interviewed him last Friday at his temple, Wildcard Boxing Gym in Hollywood:? So I chose to do the show. They have filmed me for almost a year. The crew was great. They became my friends. We had good times and we had bad times. They catch me in good moods and sometimes in bad moods and you really get to see what my life is about and how I deal with it. Parkinson?s disease is always there, of course, but it is something I try to deal with as much as I can. I don?t even think about it; I just work, work, work and get done what I have to do. That?s the important thing to me, getting these guys ready for fights. ? Advertisement
Is it a documentary or a reality show? You be the judge. The unrehearsed and unscripted show zeroes in on the life of fifty one year old trainer, who is widely considered one of the best boxing coaches of our time.
?It?s just my life, ?continued Roach, who lives only a few miles away from Wild card boxing Gym in Hollywood:?Like the guy said the other night- I?ve never saw that dark side of you before. And I said, well, that?s part of life, when I get mad someone is going to hear it. It?s just me.?
Five time recipient of the Trainer of the Year award by Boxing Writer?s Association of America, Freddie Roach is a long time trainer and confidant of pound for pound best fighter on the planet, Manny Pacquiao. Aside from Manny Freddie has trained a myriad of champions like Oscar De La Hoya, James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, and Amir Khan etc.
So, how is Coach Freddie in real life? ?I am really compulsive about some things, ?replied Roach:? The thing is I live alone and when I make a mess I clean it up right away.?
Freddie Roach learned his trade of a professional boxer and then a professional trainer from legendary Coach, Eddie Futch. Most in the know consider that Roach?s best asset as a trainer is his uncanny ability to observe and to adapt. Roach gives all the credit for his success to his mentor, Futch. Fifty one year old bachelor finds solace in his work and twelve guys he is currently training. Being an astute observer himself, I asked Freddie how it felt to be under the observation of the camera at all times.
?It was a little bit hard at first to open my door at 6:00 am and have the guys come in and watch me walk around,? Roach said: ?It?s just my life and may be what I am thinking about at that moment. The best part about the show that I like, they never asked me to do nothing. It?s just truly truly my life, day by day, what I go through, what challenges I have to go through; some of it sad, some of it happy. My brother on the show was a bit sad to me. Going into the hospital for an MRI, it choked me up, but it?s what I do every day.?
Tune in to HBO this Friday at 6:30 pm pacific time for the first episode.
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